UW HELP

The Universities of Wisconsin support Wisconsin’s 13 public universities, including UW-Madison. The Universities of Wisconsin came to Swink to increase the impact of one their primary student outreach efforts, UW HELP.

Brand Strategy
Print
Apps
Motion

UW HELP is designed to get kids to consider UW schools and prepare themselves for life after high school. It’s a brilliant program run by wonderful people, but they felt like their efforts were stagnating. They had the bones of a good brand, but needed to kick things up a notch to stay relevant and fresh.

Expanding the Palette

We started by giving tools and permission for the group to move beyond the constraints of their existing brand guidelines. In a sea of admissions materials, UW HELP should speak with confidence and stand out.

Summer Workbook

We designed a brochure distributed over the Summer to students entering their Senior year. The Summer Workbook gets them to think concretely about college and get them prepared to apply as soon as applications open in Fall.

Voice

We started by clarifying the voice of the organization: informative without being patronizing. Friendly without being goofball. Always patient, always encouraging. It’s the voice of an older friend or relative who knows a thing or two about getting ready for college.

Summer Workbook interior spread

Built for Activity

UW HELP isn’t really marketing. It’s best when used as a tool to make smart choices about college. We introduced activities into each piece where students were encouraged to learn about themselves and document their choices.

Summer Workbook interior detail

Summer Workbook interior spread with tip in

Counselor Workbook

We designed this brochure delivered to all high school counselors that provides a deep-dive into the facts and figures they need to help advise their students.

Counselor Book Interior Spread

Icons

We created a series of icons to illustrate the different career clusters, from agriculture to transportation, that students can explore to help find their majors.

UW Journey Application

We redesigned UW HELP’s coordinated digital app, UW Journey. The app is designed to help students find which UW campuses best match their interests and needs. We helped simplify onboarding and made navigating the many resources easier and more clear.

UW HELP Introductory Video

We created an animated short to introduce students of all types to UW HELP.

Introductory Video

Results

The Universities of Wisconsin saw a 25% year-on-year increase in applications for admission through UW HELP — during a global pandemic — after introducing the updated materials.